title: A microassay for nitroblue tetrazolium reduction by human neutrophils.
abstract: By adapting the nitroblue tetrazolium reduction test (NBT test) of neutrophil function to microtiter plates with correspondingly small incubation and dye extraction volumes, it has been possible to develop a microassay with the following advantages: 1. The cell number required for single standard assay has been reduced five- to tenfold to 1 X 105 PMN. 2. If little blood or few cells are available, this number can be further reduced to 1-5 X 104. 3. The test is rapid (less than 6 hours overall) and highly reproducible. 4. A single technician can process at least six plates = 576 single assays at a time. 5. Due to the small incubation volume, test substances can be saved. NBT reduction in this test is a function of both cell number and concentration of the stimulus (here: zymosan). Addition of serum, Mg+/-+/-, or EGTA/Mg enhances the response to zymosan while Ca+/- +/- at greater than or equal to 2 mM is inhibitory.
mesh_terms: D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004533:Egtazic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D007158:Immunologic Techniques; D008274:Magnesium / Q000494:pharmacology; D009503:Neutropenia / Q000175:diagnosis; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000378:metabolism*; D009580:Nitroblue Tetrazolium; D013778:Tetrazolium Salts; D015054:Zymosan / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D013778:Tetrazolium Salts; D009580:Nitroblue Tetrazolium; D004533:Egtazic Acid; D015054:Zymosan; D008274:Magnesium